The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-11
ANOTHER STRIKE ENDED,

teal shape, so lar as they may be able.
ANOTHER STRIKE ENDED
The labor strike in New York has ended as
so many other strikes have done, in disastrous
failure This was the end of the great strike
on the Southwestern railroads and Of the
eight strike in Chicago, and now
the strike of coa.-handlers, freight-handlers
and longshoremen in New York is added to
the list. There is a lesson for workingmeni in
this last failure, as there was in the others, if
they will but heed it. large majority of the
complaint or grievance against their employ
ers, but either joined in the strike out of
sympathy with some person who had griev-
ance or else allowed themselves to be forced
into it against their feelings and judgment.
In the end they suffered heavily in loss of
time and wages, most of them finally
losing their positions. The strike just ended
in New York began with the coal-handlers
the men who unload coal from freight cars
and load it into boats. Their original griev
ance was return by their employers to
former rate of wages, about the first
of the year. AS to the merits
Of the strike in its inception we
do not now speak. The coal handlers thought
they had a grievance and they struck,
Failing to carry their point they appealed
through the knights of Labor organization to
other classes of workingmen, and were soon
joined by the 'longshoremen and the freight
handlers. Both of these classes are very
numerous, and together they brought the
number Of strikers to many thousands They
had no grievance Of their own, but struck
from sympathy with the coal-handlers. The
theory of such strikes is that the injury of
one is the concern of all, and, thefsS@cs. to
justify the complaint of few scores of men,
or even one man, a strike is ordered that will
iniure thousands and embarrass hundreds Of
thousands. Thus. by appeals to sympathy
and this mischievous principle that requires
men without grievance to take up the quar-
rel of those who have grievance, the num-
Der of strikers in New York was increased to
many thousands. They claimed that they
could paralyze the coal trade, stop
the sailing of steamers and block
the wheels Of industry in most of
| the manufacturing establishments east
of the Alleghenies So strikes generally
thunder in the index. Well, at first they did
succeed in causing considerable embarrass-
ment, confusion and delay in business, but
this was only temporary. The strike lacked
one important element Of success-a mani
testify good cause and public sympathy. A
them, never. The New York strike began to
| fail almost Immediately. The beginning
involved the end. Unemployed men began
| to pour in from all quarters, and were glad
to take the places vacated by the strikers.
1t was the old story, when any man OF
set of men think themselves absolutely in
dispensable to the worlds commerce. Thei,
places were soon filled. AT first there was q
| little friction, but the wheels of trade soon
began to move more smoothly, and now, SC
far as any interference with business goes,
the strike is at an end. What is the resultl
Some loss and considerable annoyance to en-
ployers, a brief embarrassment to shippers,
and the strikers out Of employment It is
estimated that nearly nine thousand long
shoremen and freight handers, who two weeks
ago had steady employment and were earn
ing good wages, are now idle. That is the
present result; and it may be still more dis
astrous, for the unsuccessful strikers nov
threaten to induce large bodies Of other work
men to strike in sympathy with their los
cause. 1t really seems as if it were abou
time for sensible workingmen to ask them
selves if that sort of business pays.
| Yesterday District Assembly 40 put OF
its war paint and proposes to regain all tn,
ground lost by ordering out thousands O
other workingmen in other trades. Thi
action may revive the strike, and renew ant
even extend the area of trouble; but the ent
must be and will be the same. There is bu
one end to blind, unreasoning movement o
this kind.
THE examination of the State treasury, t.
| bo vrado hxr corop,;ftoa L.